DEMOCRATS WIN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20456, 8 November 1934, Page 1

DEMOCRATS WIN.

Obtain Two-thirds of Senate Seats. SIGNIFICANT ISSUES. United Press Assn.—By . Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received November S, 10.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 7. The United States elections have settled several political questions with emphasis, btit have left several others, potentially of far greater significance, wholly untouched. Candidates of almost every conceivable twist of opinion have been swept into office on the Democratic ticket and their collective mental processes range from the inner shrine of Conservatism to the borders of sheer radicalism. Political students ask: Can this part}', which has come so near to taking the place of both the old parties in the conduct of the Government, remain one party under the tightening strain of these years stant change? If it does remain one party, can the dominance of one wing over the others be avoided, and, which will become the ' controlling element? If it does qot-remain one party, is the long -' ‘ foreseen realignment of political now in prospect? These questions-" point directly toward 19-% and must receive the earni est consideration of President Roosevelt between now and the time when, in all human probability, he will seek re-election. * The Democrats to-day attained more than two-thirds of the entire United i States Senate membership for the i first time since the Republican Party ■ was organised. The election of Democrats in Wyoming and Nebraska gave the party sixtv-six Senate seats. Associated Press returns for the House of Representatives at 9 a.m. to-

aay snowea rne state or parties to J be : Seats. Democrats 221 Republicans 62 Farmer Labour 1 Progressive 3 Doubtful 14S r As a result of yesterday’s Congresa ; sional elections, the Republicans have . ' retained less than one-third of the t i Senate seats and a similar fraction of - j the House of Represenatives; and their ; party is of less account than at any time since its founding. It was the most astounding off-year election in the country’s history. | In the House the Administration has definitely won 234 seats, twenty-five more than a clear majority. The Republicans are assured of only ninetysix, the Democrats claiming enough of the remaining 103 doubtful seats to : give them a two-thirds majority of that branch of Congress as well. In Powerful Position. President Roosevelt and his “ New I ; Dealers ” stand to-day in as powerful a position as any Government of the United States has been. With the election of enough Senators to produce a two-thirds majority virtually assured, with a probability of an overwhelming Democratic majority in the House not to be seriously reduced and with the country’s stamp of approval on the experimental poli- . cies of the Roosevelt Administration. .! as the result of yesterday’s Congres- ['• sional elections, the President has a » j mandate to proceed. j ! Shortly before ten o’clock on Tuesi day night the Postmaster-General (Mr > | James Farley), leader of the Demo- _ cratic campaign, let the country know , that “ the famous Republican figures , have been toppled and the ‘ New Deal ’ ; I magnificently sustained.”

UPTON SINCLAIR FAILS. SAN FRANCISCO, November 6. Acting-Governor Frank Merriam (Republican) took the lead over Mr Upton Sinclair, author and former Socialist, for the Governorship of California, in incomplete returns from sixty-six scattered precincts out of the 10,721 in the State. From 3622 complete and incomplete precincts Merriam had 53,000 majority. • Sinclair fell consistently behind Merriam as the returns mounted. Even Los Angeles, a centre of Epic strength in the primary elections, seemingly ! turned against Sinclair. In 4896 complete and incomplete precincts Merriam had 441,382 votes, Sinclair 361,036 and Raymond Height (Commonwealth and 1 Progressive) 98,896.

Sinclair has issued a statement predicting public discontent amounting to “fury” and he has promised to institute recall proceedings in the event of Merriam being elected. “Upton Sinclair is throwing a scare into each of the major parties in California by the aggressive manner in which he is bidding for the Democratic nomination for Governor,” wrote a correspondent of the “New York Times” recently.

“The ivord with which he keynotes his campaign and which he expects will ! give him open sesame to the voters’ ! hearts is ‘Epic,* which means in j Sinclairesque ‘End poverty in Cali- j fornia.’ That is his platform, and | it is not at all unpopular.”